I’ve been Ted Lassoed.
With Father’s Day arriving on June 18th and recently watching the last episode of my favourite show Ted Lasso, which has a central father-son theme, I felt compelled to write about the Ted Lasso way and the life lessons this show offers.
Ted Lasso is a multi-award-winning show on Apple TV that just wrapped after three delightful seasons. It is my all-time favourite show, and if you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend that you do, even if you only subscribe to Apple TV long enough to binge-watch all three seasons.
I’m not a big sports fan, and I was pleasantly surprised that I was hooked after watching the first episode about a football team in England. Ted Lasso is an American football coach that finds himself coaching a soccer team in London, England, even though he knows nothing about soccer (they call it football in England).
Ted Lasso is not concerned about whether the team wins or loses and focuses on helping them realize their potential, believing in and becoming the best versions of themselves while being members of a competitive sports team. The show provides deep philosophical gems and learning moments.
Ted teaches his players the importance of teamwork and being open to learning from mentors and teachers. He helps them accept that change and greatness are available to everyone. The common thread that fuels all of this is kindness and compassion.
This refreshing backdrop dismantles toxic masculinity and allows a delightful crew of characters to develop and grow through pain, conflict, and acceptance. There are as many laugh-out-loud moments as there are teary-eyed moments.
The character of Ted Lasso reminds me of Prince Myshkin, the protagonist in Dostoyevsky's “The Idiot.” The latter is a much darker story, but they are similar in how the main characters offer unconditional love to those around them, and it either helps them grow or they can’t deal with it.
Here are some of the show's other themes:
Forgiveness.
Mental Health Awareness.
Being curious, not judgemental.
Believing in yourself and others.
Caring for others.
Revenge never works and is unhealthy.
We can all benefit from therapy at times.
Don’t judge someone from their lowest moment.
Everyone deserves a second chance.
Being accountable and responsible for your actions.
Being kind.
Female friendships are powerful when we support and lift each other.
Teamwork.
You will always face good and evil in life; how you respond to both matters.
There are endless, remarkable sayings from the show, and here are some of my favourites:
“As the man once said, the harder you work, the luckier you get.”
"It may not work out how you think it will or how you hope it does. But believe me, it will all work out."
“Every choice is a chance.”
“A good mentor hopes you will move on; a great mentor knows you will.”
“Stop looking for the answer; let the answer come to you.”
“Don’t fight back; fight forward.”
“Just listen to your gut, and on the way down to your gut, check in with your heart. Between those two things, they'll let you know what's what.”
“You know what the happiest animal on earth is? It’s a goldfish. Do you know why? It’s got a 10-second memory.”
"If you care about someone, and you got a little love in your heart, there ain't nothing you can't get through together."
“The truth will set you free, but first, it will piss you off.”
“Remember to focus on the here and now. Living in the moment is a gift; that’s why they call it the present.”
“I can’t be your mentor without occasionally being your tormentor.”
“I promise you there is something worse out there than being sad, and that's being alone and being sad. Ain't no one in this room alone."
"There are two buttons I never like to hit: that's panic and snooze."
“Things come into our lives to help us get from one place to a better one.”
“Leave people well.”
“I hope that either all of us or none of us are judged by our actions in our weakest moments, but rather for the strength we show if and when we're given a second chance.”
“You know my philosophy regarding cats, babies, and apologies. You gotta let them come to you.”
"To the family we're born with, and to the family we make along the way."
“You can't worry about something that hasn't happened yet. If anything, you should find out before you flip out.”
The central theme of fathers and sons is played out in different ways throughout the show; the impact of bad and good fathers, losing a father at a young age, and the fact that change and healing are always possible.
I’ve been thinking much more about my father since my sister reminded me that he would have turned 100 on May 23rd. With some sweet moments in the last episode of Ted Lasso and Father’s Day in a few days, I realize I’ve been at peace with my father for many years. He was a difficult man and not the best father, but he did provide us with what we needed, and when I last saw him before his death, he had his moment of redemption with a display of deep regret for his actions. I had closure and forgave him, and I’m grateful I had the opportunity.
I didn’t love all the plotlines in Ted Lasso, but it didn’t matter because the positive and brilliant messages were always at the forefront. If you are looking for inspiration and some feel-good entertainment, watch Ted Lasso. I’m rewatching the whole series, and I can’t believe how much I missed during my first viewing. It has provided me with great comfort, and its impact has been so profound that I actually think about my actions and ask myself: “What would Ted do?”
How will you be spending this Sunday? Perhaps you are a father or will be spending Sunday with your father, or maybe you are thinking about your father if he has passed; if so, I wish you a Happy Father’s Day.
Be well.
Anita